The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1887-11-05
a PAIR OF eLuEeIRps.
How They Talk 10 Each other ia a Low sne
Earnest 1witter.


Esruest 1wittsr.
One advantage Of studying two birds
OF kind 1T the same time is 10 observe
the talk between them. which has
great interest for me- This pair were
exceedingly talkatiye at first, uttering
not only the usual musical three-sylla-
bic warble or call. which Lanier aptly
calls the ''heavenly word" but often
soft twittering talk. Of varying infec-
ton and irregular length. which was
certainly the most interesting bird talk
l ever heard. When they could not
see me they INDUCED in it more freely.
with changing tones at different times,
and after they become accustomed 10
the room and is inhabitants it was
neither 50 frequent nor SO earnest.
Often at night, when one-perhaps in a
dream-fcll OFF the perch, | heard
much low. tender talk, almost in
whisper, before all was quiet again;
and when another bird flew wildly
around the room. there was always a
remark or two in an interested tone.
The male did most Of the talking, car
rying on, often for long time. con-
slant flow of what sounded marvel
ously like comments and criticisms.
while his mate replied occasionally with
the usual call. Certain notes plainly
had specific meaning, even To the
others in the room. One in particular
was peculiar and low. but upon its ut
terance every bird became instantly ST.
lent and looked at the cage, while the
bluebirds themselves were so absorbed,
gazing apparently into blank space, that
could easily put my hands on them
before they observed me. For several
minutes this low note would be re-
peated, and all the birds stare at moth
ing, till l began to feel almost uncom-
Portable, as have done at similar star
ing at nothing on the part of animals.
One can hardly resist the feeling that
these creatures see some thing too in
tangible for our eyes. On one occa-
sion, when the male uttered this note,
the female was just about to eat; she
stood as il petriiicd, with head half
way down to the food, for two or three
minutes.
What / have called talk was a very
low twitter in q conversational tone,
on one note, not at all in singing
tone, like the usual warble or call.
have also heard it from wild bluebirds,
when could get near enough. From
the first. as said above, the male did
most Of the talking, and the habit grew
upon him, till he became a regular
babbler stopping on the top perch,
and keeping it up persistently
all day long / think it arose
from the fact that the greater number
of birds in the room were thrushes, who
sang very softly, without opening the
mouth. With this gentle ripple of
song the bluebird's talk harmonized
perfectly, and he almost entirely dis
continued his lovely song, and indulged
himself in talk by the hour. Strange
to say, | very soon noticed that his
mate did not approve of it, and would
not stand on the perch beside him
while he persisted In it. AT first she
turned sharply towards him, and he
showed that he understood her wishes
by ceasing Tor awhlle; but as the habit
grew, and he was not so easily silenced,
she more and more deserted his side,
and after two or three weeks l heard
occasionally gentle remonstrance
from her. do not believe a really
harsh tone can come from bluebird
throat. One day they were taking
their usual midday nap on the same
perch. when a thrush across the window
began his low song. That started up
the bluebird, and he added his talk,
which awakened his mate She en-
dured it for about five seconds. and
then she suddenly stretched the wing
nearest him so tar that he was obliged
to move away, when she instantly
hoped down herself.-Oiirc Ihorne
Miller, in atlantic.